Chapter One

I stepped off of the school bus, hitching my faded blue backpack up higher up on my back. I paused, looked around. It's sunny, too sunny. It's always to sunny. I squinted, the bright light hitting my eyes.

"Yo!" The kid behind me jabbed at my neck, "Move!"

I turned and glowered. Taking my time, I strolled away from the bus doors. I didn't bother to admire the scenery around me, mostly because there isn't any. House, house, tree. House, house, tree. Tree, tree, pond. House. Once upon a time I would have searched behind every tree on my way home, examined every piece of trash, each footprint in the snow. But I'm done with that. He's not here. Get over it Alice.

Soon enough, I'd reached my house. It looked exactly like every other house, except tidier. Small stepping stones led up to the red door, perfectly trimmed hydrangeas lined the brick house. A white picket fence held in a precisely mowed lawn. Honest, when my mother has the garden done, she gets down on her hands and knees to make sure that the grass is all the exact same length.

I swung open the front door. The doorknob banged against the pale orange wallpaper. It left a small black smear. Oops. I heard my mother's footsteps. She appeared quite suddenly from the kitchen. Her back stiffened as she viewed the mark I'd left on her beautiful living room wall. "Hey," I muttered as my bag landed with a flump on the carpet.
"Please remove that bag from the floor Alice. You are not four years old." I rolled my eyes, slinging the bag onto one shoulder.
"Nice to see you too," I grumbled under my breath, heading to my room.